Leaving Neverland
by OnceUponSomeChaos
Summary: Emma's recurring nightmare is stealing her sleep & she asks a certain pirate for a favor: to chase it away. Hook has some terms of his own & they discover neither one of them can handle it. Canon through most of 3x09. Takes place as the "Nevengers sail away from Neverland, shortly after rescuing Henry. ***RATED M*** (esp for chap 4). Captain Swan SMUT & FEELS.
1. Chapter 1

Emma brushed her fingers over Henry's hair, smoothing it back over his forehead, watching the steady movement of his chest. She fought the urge to lay her hand over his heart again, to verify for the hundredth time it was in his chest.

"Hey." Neal's voice came from behind her, startling her. "How's our son?"

"Still sleeping." Emma gave in and placed her hand on Henry's chest, the reassuring thumps telling her he would be all right.

"When was the last time you slept?"

More than a few hours? Since she left Storybrooke. How many days ago? Or was it weeks? They all blurred into a single long day of Neverland twilight. "A while."

"Go get some rest. I'll stay with him."

Emma checked Henry's chest again. _Thump thump. Thump hump._ "I can't leave him."

"You're not. You're just getting sleep." Neal placed his hands on her shoulder, turning her toward the door. "I'll find you if he wakes up." He gave her a gentle push. "Go."

Emma was too tired to fight him. She left the room, her feet echoing on the wooden planks as she walked down the narrow hallway to the berth where everyone else slept. A soft snore reached through the door, begging her to enter and join the others in sleep.

She leaned against the door, the wood cool against her forehead as she closed her eyes.

_Henry. His heart in his hand. "I love you too. But I have to save magic. I'm sorry." Placing his heart into Pan's chest._

The image refused to leave. Sleep would remain elusive until it did.

If it ever did.

Emma stumbled back to the small room where Henry slept, pausing outside the door as she took in Neal, his hand placed on top of Henry's chest. A small smile painted on Neal's face told her the truth.

Safe. Henry was safe.

Relief slammed into her, battering her, a tsunami of emotion she was helpless against.

She fled, careful to not draw Neal's attention. The ship was familiar to her now and even in the dark she had little difficulty maneuvering through the walkways. Tears threatened to spill as she found the door to Hook's cabin. She didn't bother knocking—Hook was busy steering the ship—as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

The darkness was complete inside and Emma sank against the door while full body sobs wracked her body so hard she fought for breath.

The stress of being strong as the leader of their group. The lack of sleep. Mourning Neal. Finding out Neal still lived. Her parents willing to leave her again. Watching Hook and Neal almost have their shadows ripped from their bodies. Finding Henry only to have him give his heart away and collapse into a lifeless shell. The relief of feeling Henry's heart beat again.

Too much. It was all too much.

A creak whispered across the room and instinct kicked in. She froze, her cries silent, and crouched into fighting position.

"Emma?" Hook's voice was deeper than usual, his unmistakable lilt coated in sleep. "That you, love?"

She thanked the darkness for hiding the embarrassment flooding her face and stood up. "I thought you were at the helm." She fumbled in the dark, searching for the doorknob and escape. "Sorry for waking you."

"Your father offered to take a turn." Somehow he had crossed the room in record time, his silhouette next to hers. "Did something happen?"

"N-no." Leftover tears hovered at the edge of her control, searching for freedom.

"Are you alright?"

His question, filled with concern and worry, tipped the scales and the floodgate broke, her careful control washed away.

He wrapped her in his arms immediately, her head against his shoulder and arms returning the hug, his heat surrounding her. "Let it out, love."

It might have been seconds. Or minutes. But gradually her sobs subsided and she realized why he was so warm.

Hook was completely naked.

The revelation proved the perfect cure for drying lingering tears as awareness pooled in her belly. Everywhere his skin touched hers fire danced as his heat seeped through the tank top and pants she still wore.

Hook's body tensed around her, sensing the change. "Emma?"

_It's just a hug_, she tried to tell herself, even as she became very aware of the growing hardness pressing into her body. She closed her eyes, to steel herself and pull away, and the images bombarded her.

_Hook's mouth on her body, licking a trail down to her thighs. Her hands twisted in his hair as she moaned at his attention. His words of love just before he sent her spiraling out of control._

Her Neverland dream—another thief stealing sleep from her nights before the moment at skull rock—came rolling back.

And while once unwelcomed and feared, it chased away the haunting picture of her lifeless son—the first time since that day. The lesser of two evils.

An unbidden thought raced through her mind: If a dream was powerful enough to scare the nightmare away, would the reality remove it for good?

She would do anything to have it gone.

She loosened her grip, allowing her fingers to traces the lines on Hook's back, noting multiple ridges marring his smooth flesh, and finally resting her hands on his hips. She heard his breath catch as she pulled him closer, digging his arousal into her body.

"Emma, what are you doing?" His voice shook, catching Emma off guard as the moments she'd locked away to save Henry broke free from their prison.

His secret in the cave.

"_I never thought I could be capable of letting go of my first love, my Milah. To believe that I could find someone else. That is until I met you."_

His words afterwards.

"_So when I win your heart, Emma—and I will win it—it will not because of any trickery. It will be because you want me."_

And she did want him, but she wasn't ready to love someone again, to trust someone not to hurt her, especially a pirate.

Though he was more than that now.

He'd come to Neverland for Henry, the sole person not related to him, to rescue him.

He'd saved David from dreamshade and somehow befriended him.

He'd told them about Neal when it would've been easier to keep silent.

He'd gone first in the cave, when the rest of them hadn't believed and feared sharing the truth.

Somehow through it all, he'd become her friend, the first person she could talk to since Mary-Margaret had become "mom".

She owed him honesty.

She released her grip on Hook, nudging him away until he broke contact. A chill surrounded her, her body lamenting his loss as she took a deep breath. "We need to talk."

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**TBC...**

**_My first fanfic, likely to be a few chapters as I wait for the newer episodes._**

**_Reviews?_**

**_Concrit appreciated._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you everyone who favorited, followed, and/or reviewed my first chapter! Less than 24 hours on my first story and I already feel loved.**_

_**As a reward,and because I'm mourning the lack of a new episode tonight, here's Chapter 2 from Hook's POV... Review and let me know what you think.**_

_**Disclaimer: I obviously don't own OUaT.**_

_**It picks up immediately after Emma's "We need to talk."**_

* * *

Four words every man dreaded hearing. Especially when naked.

"If it's one of those conversations, I'm a tad under-dressed." He couldn't read her in the dark, though his eyes were adjusted enough to make out her features. He needed more light. "Hold on." He spun on his heel and walked back to the bed. He contemplated lighting the lantern before he put his pants on, just so he could see her reaction. Remembering her tears and how long it had taken her to even notice his lack of clothing, he decided not to tease her. Not tonight, anyway.

Hook pulled on his pants, lacing them loosely in an effort to hide his reaction to her. Not that she'd seemed to mind it a minute ago, far from it. He'd thought Emma an open book once—and she was—as long as it had nothing to do with _him_. When it came to aspects of their relationship, he was a sailor lost at sea, trying not to do the bloody wrong thing and drown.

He lit the lantern next to his bed and its soft glow filtered through the room. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light, seeking her out in the shadows by the door.

She hadn't moved. "I'm not going to bite, love." He patted the bed next to him, trying not to think of all the things he'd imagined doing to her on it since the day he'd climbed the damn beanstalk with her. "Come tell me what I've done wrong this time." He raised his eyebrow at her, trying to draw a smile out.

Emma took a tentative step forward, her tongue tracing her lips in a distracted fashion. It was unintentional—somehow he knew that—but his body reacted as though it was meant for him.

Then again, maybe it was, as her eyes refused to meet his, stuck a foot lower and focused on his bare chest. She took a few more steps and stopped, still ten feet away.

The woman was going to drive him mad.

He loved every damn minute.

"Typically when a woman asks to talk, there is actual talking." He grinned at her, again raising his eyebrows in question.

This time a hint of smile traced her face—a quick blip before vanishing—and it twisted something inside of him. "Thank you. For everything."

He couldn't hide his surprise. "_Everything_, love?"

She cocked her head the side, thinking. "Not fighting over a lighter."

He grimaced. "Fair point."

She walked a few steps closer, tear-stained cheeks visible to him now. Hook's stomach clenched, wanting to erase whatever caused her pain. "You've done so much for me, for my family, while in Neverland. I like to think we're friends now and that's why I have no business asking you for a favor."

Wariness lined his face. "A favor, love?" Her words reminded him too much of Rumplestiltskin—a favor always came at a price.

"I'm going to explain something and I need you to hear me out, okay?" Her eyes were avoiding his again, their stare back on his chest.

Hook had no idea where this was going, her every move sending mixed signals. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Since the night at Skull Rock I've had these nightmares, only they aren't just nightmares. I see them every time I close my eyes. I see Henry holding his heart and giving it to Pan. I see him lifeless on the ground. Over and over again." Her voice wavered as she spoke, showing him the vulnerability she hid from the world.

"You did save him, Emma. It just took longer." Hook stood, wanting to hold her again, only to have her back away.

She thrust her arm between them, demanding space. "I failed him, Hook. I was there and it didn't matter."

"No, love, you succeeded. Is he not safe on my ship?" It killed him to stand apart from her when she was like this but he'd seen her with her family—she shied from physical contact from everyone but her boy—and knew it wasn't just him.

"He is. But the images didn't stop when we saved him. Then I came here and—"she paused, biting her lower lip as she glanced at his. "—and now I see you. Me. Us. I close my eyes and see us."

Hope swirled within him, even as he tried to decipher the meaning of her words. "And what exactly are we doing in these…images?"

Color painted her cheeks, telling him what he needed to know, even as she ignored his question. "I'm not ready, Hook. I can't choose to see where this thing—whatever it is between us—goes. Not yet." She swallowed, finally meeting his eyes. "I know you have….feelings for me, or are starting to. I don't want to hurt you but—"she paused, the plea in her eyes tearing into him, "I need you to make me forget the nightmare. I think you're the only one who can."

Hook's heart had nearly been ripped from his body three times in his life—literally. The crocodile. Cora. The crocodile again. They had each reached into his chest, squeezing it, stopping just short of tearing it free.

Somehow Emma's words had the power to replicate that same sensation.

He was damned if he agreed. He was damned if he didn't.

Agreeing would likely destroy him—the price if somehow he failed in winning her heart—but he couldn't deny her this.

He'd give her the world if she'd just let down her walls long enough to accept it.

Hook cocked his eyebrow at her yet again, lowering his voice and giving her a predatory grin. "Tell me, Emma, what exactly do you have in mind?"

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please review! ;-)**


	3. Chapter 3

_**I really appreciate the feedback from those who take the time to review. Thank you so much!**_

_**I'm feeling the love as a newbie with all the favorites and follows. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT**_

**We're back to Emma's POV, picking up where we left off. **

* * *

No man should have the power to make her knees shake with just a smile.

"You agree?" Hook's quick acquiesce surprised her, no demands to make her choose or heart-rending claims of love.

"Aye, lass. Although if you'll be so kind—" he gestured toward the door behind her, "to slide the bolt before we start. I told your father to wake me when he tires at the helm and while I managed to win him over on Neverland, I don't think he'll take kindly to finding you here."

It was a move he could easily do himself, but instead he stood there, watching her, a question in his eyes. Emma recognized the test: he was giving her a chance to run even though this—whatever this transformed into—had been her idea.

Emma knew there would be a price for tonight, but running meant more nightmares. Nightmares that only feared a certain pirate. She whirled away, striding to the door and sliding the metal latch into place. The sound reached across the room, echoing with the finality of their decision.

She turned around to face him, half expecting him to already be there, ready to attack.

Instead he stood where she'd left him—surprising her again—waiting for her to make the first move.

Yes, it had been her idea, but she'd imagined him taking control, demanding everything he'd alluded to since they first met—allowing her to just feel and not think about possible ramifications.

She knew how to have a one night stand, how to lead, dominate, and leave. She remembered making love—having someone else's pleasure more important than your own.

Emma hadn't the slightest fucking idea how to initiate sex with a friend whose clothes she dreamed of ripping off, a friend she wanted to keep and be able to face the next day.

"Perhaps gratitude is in order now." Hook looked at her, gently tapping his lips—a perfect replay of their moment in Neverland.

A smile spread across her face, recognizing the dare, the challenge he gave her. She stalked toward him, closing the distance until only inches separated them. "Please, you couldn't handle it."

He leaned into her, his breath tickling her ear, heat from his body already surrounding her. "Perhaps you're the one who couldn't handle it."

In Neverland, she'd grabbed the collar of his coat, yanking him to her and shocking him with the kiss. This time there was nothing to grab—giving her the perfect chance to catch him off guard again.

Instead of pulling him into a kiss, she lifted her hands, threading her fingers through the hairs on his chest, her thumbs finding his nipples and brushing against them. She kept her eyes down, taking in his beauty, his sharp inhale encouraging her to continue. She let her nails trail travel downward, enjoying the muscled definition always hidden from her by layers of leather. She leaned closer, grazing her teeth where Hook's neck met his shoulder, taking her time as she traveled to his neck, licking and nibbling her way to the stubble on his jaw as his breaths became shallow.

She loved the taste of his skin, salty and so…_him_.

Emma ran her fingers up his side, her touch light as they journeyed over his chest again, to his shoulders, the back of his neck, one finding a home laced in his hair, the other using its thumb to outline his lips. She finally raised her gaze, letting him see the desire in her eyes as they met his blue ones.

Want. Need. A flicker of something she couldn't read. The heat in his gaze stripped her bare, and still he didn't move.

The man's control was infuriating.

Luckily, he wasn't the only one who liked a challenge.

Emma brought her body closer, pressing every inch of her lower body against his as her thumb continued caressing his lips. A groan escaped from him, but he didn't move, his hand and hook still hanging at his sides. She grinned at him, trying to channel her best Hook impression. "Waiting for an engraved invitation, love?" She laced the last word with his accent, trying to mimic his raised eyebrow move.

Humor mixed with the heat in his eyes, both cloaking… something. "Just the kiss, darling. But please, don't hurry on my—" his words cut off as Emma pulled his head the last few inches and quickly covered his lips with her own.

She tasted his surprise—god she loved to surprise him—and finally he moved, his right arm coming behind her, fisting his hand in her hair, deepening the kiss. Emma moved her free hand down his back, using it to push his hips even closer. He followed her lead, bringing his hook to her back, grinding his length into her.

She failed to stifle the moan rising in her throat, performing a duet with Hook's as he met her every move.

She darted her tongue along his lips, and with another groan, he opened his mouth to allow her entry. His tongue met hers in a duel—a perfect match for one another.

Every part of her body screamed for his touch, jealous of the attention her hair and lips received. The pressure on her hips only made her want more contact, until her bare skin met his.

_Soon_.

The room spun as dizziness hit Emma, her lungs demanding oxygen. She pulled her mouth away, breaking the kiss and leaning her forehead against his, keeping the rest of her body flush against his—hands holding him in place—as she fought to catch her breath.

Judging by Hook's heavy breathing, she wasn't the only one. "That was—" His voice was raw, hoarse.

"—my thank you. For helping me." Emma smiled, savoring the second time she'd rendered her pirate speechless.

_He isn't your pirate._

She shoved the thought away. This wasn't about them. This was about needing to forget.

_What will you do when you can't forget this?_

It was a simple one-time fling with the one person who understood her—a three hundred year-old pirate with a hooked hand, a penchant for leather, guy-liner, and rum, and the ability to make her smile in even in the shittiest of circumstances. She'd bury it with the other one-night stands and pull it out only if the nightmare returned.

_Liar_.

She was tired of thinking. She needed to erase the horror of Neverland and replace it with the one good thing from the island.

Hook.

She looked up at him from beneath her eyelids—remembering how he'd done the same when bandaging her hand what felt like a lifetime ago—only to find his eyes closed.

"Hook?"

His eyes sprung open at his name, the turmoil in them almost making her release her hold. "Yes, love?"

Her hand continued playing with his hair as she brushed a thumb against his cheek, "It's time for you to follow through on all those innuendos you're so fond of spouting."

A laugh erupted from his chest, its vibrations echoing all along her body. "I'm a man of honor." His thumb mirrored hers, gently grazing her cheek, causing her insides to dance. "Care to share one you're particularly fond of?"

Emma moved the hand on his back, feathering tiny circles on his skin until she arrived where their bodies pressed together. She reached between them, grasping him through the leather as his eyes darkened again. "It was something about your sword." She gripped him tighter as she uttered the last word. "How did it go?"

Mischief shone in his eyes through the fire as he gave her his patented Hook grin. "When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it."

She squeezed him again, reciprocating his smile. "Make me feel it, Hook."

* * *

**TBC... **

**Want to see what happens next? Let me know.**

Reviews? :-)


	4. Chapter 4

_**Warning: This chapter is rated **M**. **__It is longer than all three previous chapters combined because a certain pirate had very definite ideas of what exactly he wanted to do with Emma. It is rather long and very thorough and I couldn't bring myself to break it into separate chapters. That's right. Hot Captain Swan SMUT. Captain Swan FEELS. Do not read if that's not your thing._

_Chapter 4 begins in Killian's POV and then switches to Emma's for the remainder._

* * *

_**Previously on Leaving Neverland (end of Chapter 3)**_

_Emma moved the hand on his back, feathering tiny circles on his skin until she arrived where their bodies pressed together. She reached between them, grasping him through the leather as his eyes darkened again. "It was something about your sword." She gripped him tighter as she uttered the last word. "How did it go?"_

_Mischief shone in his eyes through the fire as he gave her his patented Hook grin. "When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it."_

_She squeezed him again. "Make me feel it, Hook."_

* * *

_**Chapter 4: **_

Hook groaned at the pressure of Emma's hand against his body.

How many times had he dreamed of Emma coming to him, want in her eyes, needing him?

_Too many._

Having her before him, teasing him—the fire in her eyes mixed with challenge and vulnerability—far outstripped his imagination.

And he'd imagined quite a bit.

She released him, backing away and tossing him a smile.

It would be easy to accept her challenge, to lose control and drive into her until they both screamed in release.

_Bloody hell, he wanted that._

But he knew Emma too well. This night, this favor, was an aberration for her. She would use it to push him further away and he'd have to fight harder to get her to open up to him. To trust him.

To love him.

He wouldn't stop this, couldn't, but he could alter her rules of engagement.

He could try to brand himself into every inch of her body and hope it was enough.

_God help him if it wasn't._

His grin was still frozen on his face—hopefully hiding any sign of his inner turmoil—and he gave Emma a wink. "Oh, you'll feel it, darling." He used his hook and his hand to slowly drag up her shirt, making his touch light as he gave her both the cold steel and warm fingertips on her sides, enjoying the shiver racing up her body. He pulled it over her head and flung it across the room.

He eased the straps of her brassiere down her shoulders, using the same delicate touch as with her shirt, his eyes never leaving hers—where the teasing light evaporated, swallowed by her desire. And something else.

Or maybe his bloody hope ran too high, a contagious hazard of hanging with hero-types.

Her sharp gasp was real, as Emma's brassiere followed her shirt and his mouth traveled over her newly bared skin.

"Beautiful." The word came out softer than he'd intended, carrying too much emotion, a whisper against her body.

Emma's body stiffened and she put one hand beneath his chin to draw his face back to hers, her expression unreadable. "Tonight is a sure thing, Hook." Her other hand plucked at the laces of his pants, dipping her fingers beneath as he held back a moan. "I don't need words or seduction." She wrapped her hands around him and winked. "Just your sword." She moved her hand slowly. "Inside of me."

He growled, pushing her back against the ladder and lifting her onto one of the rungs as she released him and wrapped her legs around his waist. His fingers threaded into her hair as his mouth crushed hers. One of her hands grabbed his neck, yanked him closer, and demanded he deepen the kiss, her legs clenching his body as she rotated her hips.

It wasn't until the kiss broke apart and they gasped for air that Hook realized how completely he'd lost control of the situation.

_Bloody brilliant minx._

If he had more than tonight he wouldn't hesitate to do as she asked. He was dangerously on the brink of doing so in spite of his intentions.

But knowing Emma and the walls she clung to for protection—how this might be his one shot, his only shot to have her—it brought him back from the edge.

And he knew the only way he'd succeed.

He trailed kisses down her neck, lower and lower, past her collarbone and down to her chest, until he reached his goal, teasing one nipple with his tongue while his fingers flicked and circled the other.

His reward was a drawn out moan from Emma, her legs driving her core against him.

Pleasure surged through his body, her moans and the motion of her hips acting as a powerful aphrodisiac.

_Bloody hell. _

He struggled for focus, _needing _to win this battle.

"Here's the thing, love." His continued his ministrations as he spoke, the soft words caressing her skin. "You asked me for a favor. You want me to chase away your nightmares." His fingers and tongue traded sides, as Emma's body arched and he almost lost his train of thought. His control hung by a thread and his words struggled to hide the extent of his need, knowing she'd use it against him. "And if I take you right now, against this bloody ladder, you'll miss all the pleasure I have planned." He drew her nipple into his mouth and she shuddered.

"Hook." His name was plea, asking him for—what?

"I _will_ give you what you want, Emma. But first, I am going to touch and taste every inch of your body." His tongue circled her nipple and grazed it lightly with his teeth, his fingers gently pulling her other one as Emma bucked against him.

"Please." Her eyes flashed beneath her lowered lids—frustration, desire, surrender and defiance—all wrapped together.

"Those are my terms, love. If you can't handle it—," he paused, hovering his hand and mouth over her breasts, the only touch his whispered words, "—then I can always stop." It was a calculated risk and when she didn't immediately answer, he was afraid she'd call his bluff and end it.

The next ten seconds felt like the longest in his life.

_Please._

Then Emma groaned and pushed forward until her body met his waiting hand and mouth. She sighed with pleasure as he rewarded her action by drawing one nipple back into his mouth and rolling the other with his thumb.

His chest tightened as he took in the sight of her—her skin flushed with desire, her frustration with him evident even through her hungry gaze.

_So close. She just required one final nudge._

"Tell me, Emma—" his hook slowly trailed along her right side, "aren't you curious how many times I can make you surrender?" He gave her a lascivious look before increasing the pressure of his mouth and hand, his hook tugging at the band of her pants.

"Dammit, Hook. You're such a—" a gasp escaped her as he sucked harder, "—_pirate_."

He chuckled, hiding the relief that washed over him. "Is that a yes, love?"

"Yes!"

He laughed again—loving how her capitulation simultaneously managed to be a curse and plea at the same time—the sound cutting off as he turned the full attention of his mouth onto Emma.

* * *

It might have been seconds, minutes, an hour. Time lost all meaning. The world no longer existed outside the walls of his cabin—it was just her and Hook.

A haven Emma wanted to stay in forever—the idea terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

She bit back a moan threatening to escape as Hook continued to tease her.

_God, his hand. That mouth. _

"Don't hold back, love. Not with me."

_Later. Worry about it later. Just feel._

Her skin was on fire as he played with her breasts, her stomach, the ridge of her collar bone. She let go of her restraint—knowing resistance was futile—and her groans and sighs echoed throughout the cabin.

"That's it, Emma. Don't hide it from me."

_Damn_, _he was good at this._

Her hands gripped his hair, her head leaning on the ladder as he covered her entire torso with light kisses, his tongue tracing the lines of her body, finding sensitive areas she didn't know existed. His hook and hand traveled to her waistband and he removed her pants and underwear with agonizing slowness, inch by inch, making good on his promise, tasting and licking his way down.

His erotic kisses drove her crazy, thoroughly touching every almost inch of her body, yet purposefully skirting the sensitive apex of her thighs—the spot craving his touch with a maddening insistence.

He licked her hips, traced the muscle contours of her inner thighs—avoiding the center where they met—tickled the back of her knee—who knew it was so sensitive?—even nipped her ankle as he finally pulled her legs free from her clothing.

She nearly sobbed in relief when he tossed her pants away, certain now he would do what every one night stand before had done and just _take_ her.

But Hook wasn't every man.

_And you really think this can be a one-time thing?_

She shoved the thought away as Hook worked his way back up. Inch. By. Agonizing. Inch.

She was lost, releasing a constant stream of moans and pleas, stopping just short of begging him to take her into his mouth—an act she'd avoided for the intimacy involved ever since she'd walled herself off from the world—something she desperately wanted from _him_.

"Do you have any idea how amazing you are, Emma?" His voice was tight, reminding her of a spring about to snap, as her inner thigh received his attention.

_He was close, so close to it. Please._

He passed her aching center again, a whisper of breath the only touch it received—sending a tremor through her body, and she groaned in protest.

She could feel his smile against her stomach, the scruff of his face brushing the already sensitized skin. "All in good time, love. After all, it would be bad form to go back on my word and not taste _every_ part of you."

"Hook…" She hated the desperation she heard in her voice—but no longer had the willpower to remove it.

He ignored her plea and pulled one of her hands free from his hair, pressing a kiss on the sensitive inside of her wrist, against her palm, before his tongue followed the life lines etched into them, continuing all the way to the edge of her hand and running over her thumb until he enveloped it with his mouth.

_Oh, God. His tongue needed a warning label._

The nerves in her hand were sending waves of pleasure straight to the one spot he so studiously avoided.

The fire in his eyes met hers as he continued onto her fingers.

Then her arm, elbow, shoulder, neck, the outside of her ear.

_I am dying._

She cursed him for doing this to her, weakening her, transforming her into a giant ball of nerves, shaking with every touch and lick.

Making her feel wanted and cherished.

His eyes found hers again and—_god_—there was need there, wild and ready to break free, but it mingled with something else: love.

_Nonono. I can't handle this. It's all too much._

His kisses traveled her jaw, a brief brush against her lips—gone before she could deepen it—before they moved to her other ear. They were slow, deliberate, as if she were a treasure meant to be savored. Precious. Wanted.

_Hot. So unbelievably hot._

_What if I let him in…_

She closed her eyes, scared of what he might see within their depths.

His thumb brushed her cheek. "Please don't shut me out, love. Not tonight." His aching words whispered in her ear, full of desperate need, and he finally stopped kissing her, moving so his forehead pressed into hers, his breath on her lips. "Please, Emma."

His voice was so…wrecked…she couldn't deny him and opened her eyes.

His blue eyes met hers, allowing her to see into his soul—and he into hers.

She was vulnerable and exposed under his heated gaze—trapped by the desire he spun around her.

_She needed to leave. Too close._

_She needed to stay. So close._

Emma had to break the spell before it consumed her. She reached for him, intent on cutting the thick intimacy holding her in its web and speeding things up, needing release for her body and from the bond weaving him into her heart. He caught her hands, pulling them above her until they rested a few rungs above her head.

His body pressed into hers, the hairs of his chest brushing against her sensitized body, the cool leather pants a contrast to her heated skin. His movements caused his pants to slip lower, barely hanging into his body, exposing the tip of him—hot and hard against her abdomen.

_Oh God._

He groaned—her body trembling from the sound—as she leaned against him, increasing the pressure. Then he pulled back, still holding her arms above her head as he ran the cool curve of his hook along the inside of her leg. His eyes bore into hers, letting her see all of his tightly reigned passion and her knees nearly buckled from the power of it.

Or maybe it was from his hook, now running down the inner part of her other thigh.

"Do you feel how close I am to doing as you ask, love? How desperately I want to feel you shatter around me?" His voice was raw, strained.

He would be the end of her.

"Yes!" Her raw needed mirrored his.

"I can take you right now, Emma. Or—" he used his hook to twist her around, the front of her body now pressed against the ladder, the heat of him against her back, and his hand still trapping her arms above, "—I can finish what I promised and taste the rest of your body." The curve of his hook traveled from her lower back, across her left hip; following the vee until it the coolness brushed the very center of her. "All of it."

She nearly came undone from the simple touch, her body primed to explode at the slightest provocation and another cry escaped.

"Should I taste you first, Emma?" Heated anguish laced his words, simultaneously begging her to say no, to let him have her now, while pleading with her to let him finish his torturous ministrations.

It hit her then, how his actions affected him as much as her. He not only understood her need, but returned it with equal fervor.

It was an unbelievable turn on. Powerful.

What she didn't know was why he clung to his control and didn't give into what they both wanted.

_Yes, you do… you just won't admit it._

She buried the thought as he gently bit into her shoulder, soothing the spot with his tongue as his hook went to her stomach, pulling her body tight against his.

"Emma?"

She knew she could say no and snap the control he'd used to make her beg, finally easing the incredible ache he'd refused to satisfy.

One word and he would give in.

_He wants me to say no. He can't handle it anymore._

_Neither can you. _

They were perfect match for each other and _dammit_, she wouldn't allow him to stop until he unraveled as well.

She took a deep breath and her fingers gripped the rung of the ladder, bracing for the fallout of what she was about to say and coveting every second. "Yes."

His only answer was a growl, wild and untamed. His hook brushed her long hair aside, draping it over her front, exposing her back as his mouth educated her on exactly how erogenous a back could be.

_Who the hell knew?_

His motions lacked his earlier calmness—still slow and thorough, but his breathing was labored, as if he all his energy went into holding himself together—the ravenous pirate ready to break free.

"I'm going to release your hands, love." His voice shook and sent another thrill through her body. "But if you move, I doubt I will have the power to taste _every_ part of you." His hand released hers, feathering its way down her side, his hook on the other—heat and steel driving her mad. She tightened her hold on the ladder rung as he lowered his body again—down down down—until his lips found the curve of her bottom, his hook the underside of her breast and his fingers—

_Oh my god. Please._

—they found her slick folds and slid along the outside, so close…

_So very, very close._

One finger slipped inside and she moaned—the sound mingling with his.

_By all that is holy—more!_

"You're killing me, love." The words were low and harsh, as though she was the one touching him.

_I miss touching him._

"Let me touch you." Her voice wavered as his finger moved inside her.

A feral growl vibrated against her skin but he didn't budge.

Another finger joined the first as his lips moved from her left side to her right.

_More. Not enough. Closer._

"Hook…"

Another growl erupted from him and she wondered if he could talk at all anymore.

"_Please…_"

"As you wish… Emma." She barely recognized his voice, destroyed and so full of emotion her heart twisted.

_It means "I love you." He couldn't possibly know that._

His fingers left her, but before she could protest he stood, whipped her around, hoisted her bottom onto a rung of the ladder, and crushed her mouth and body to his. His tongue slid inside, finding hers, and they deepened their kiss together, their breaths turning ragged.

_Home. This is right._

She was too lost to fight traitorous thoughts right now.

_Later. Worry later. Just feel._

His fingers found her breasts again and it was all she could do not to scream in both satisfaction and aggravation. Every piece of her body wanted him. Needed him.

_More._

Her legs crumpled and he used his hook to catch her right leg and pull it up. Taking the hint, her left joined it, wrapping around his waist as she caressed his chest, his back, marveling at the tensed corded muscles hinting he held the tiniest bit back.

Emma wanted her pirate free.

_Your pirate? Getting a bit possessive?_

She undulated her body, gasping as she brushed against the soft leather and the hardness straining to break free.

_So close. So very close. Just a little more._

A groan—so loud she was certain everyone on the ship could hear it—tore from his throat. He broke the kiss—the quick agonized look he gave her telling her he wanted to continue—and unlatched her legs—_no, she wasn't finished_—draping them over his shoulders.

Like he knew her legs no longer possessed the strength to support her body.

"I promised to taste every inch of you." His warm breath hovered over her center and she trembled from its heat. "I do believe I've missed a spot, love," he said, slow, labored, as if each word took too much effort to form.

_More._

His thumb brushed against her, once, twice and—"

_Yes_!

"Hook!" Her fingers dug into his shoulders—he moaned as she clawed him—as she shattered from the light caress. Such a simple touch, yet thanks to his teasing, it was all she needed—her body shaking from the power as she rode the ride of ecstasy to the end.

Only it didn't end.

Because then, _finally_, his tongue was on her, swirling around the spot it had neglected all night. His fingers slid inside her again and the orgasm she'd thought was over was definitely _not_ over.

It built within quickly; rising, soaring, still echoing with the effects of her first, and then she was _there_, crying out his name over and over as her she fractured into a million pieces. It lasted forever_—_the vibration of his moans traveling to her body through his touch—extending it further.

_Oh, God, he isn't done._

He drew her into his mouth, licking, teasing, sucking—his fingers moving faster.

Already the pressure grew again, climbing higher, her body so incredibly sensitive each touch bordered on pain—his mouth was too much and yet she would die if he stopped.

_Not enough. Never enough._

She needed more.

_Close again. So close._

Her body tensed, ready for another release, when he stopped.

A whimper of protest escaped.

_Damn him for reducing her to this_.

He stood slowly—his body rigid, clenched—removing her legs from his shoulders, caressing her legs as he went up her body. Up. Up. His hook tucked a lock of hair behind her, his hand cupping the side of her face.

Finally his eyes met hers.

_Oh holy god._

"Emma?"

She answered his question, reaching for him and loosening the laces of his pants, her motions rushed, frantic. A loud _thunk_ sounded next to her—a quick glance showing her he'd buried his hook into the ladder—and she yanked his pants to the tops of his legs.

_Good enough._

He pushed her onto the ladder as her fingers gripped him tight—a string of curses erupting from his throat when she stroked him several times before guiding him to her entrance, rubbing him along the outside and testing his control.

_Playing with fire. You're going to burn..._

"So _wet _for me, love."

He shook—she'd never seen someone so close to breaking for so long—as he nudged her left leg onto the lowest run of the ladder, spreading her legs apart.

His mouth found hers—his kiss already familiar—as he slid inside of her, slowly, allowing her to adjust and stretch around him, until all of him rested inside her.

Like he belonged there.

_Don't think about it._

_Full. So full._

"Hook." A whispered prayer.

He snapped.

A savage growl escaped from him and sent shivers down her spine as he withdrew almost completely, before burying himself in her again with a hard thrust.

"_Hook_."

And she was lost, barely feeling the edge of the ladder digging into her back as he filled her again and again.

His heated skin set hers on fire.

_Hot. So hot._

The motion glided him across the most sensitive part of her with each movement—it already ached from his mouth—and within minutes she was on the edge.

"God… _Hook_!"

He thrust faster, his breathing irregular, panting and gasping.

It amazed her, how perfect it felt, his silky hardness completing her, making her whole.

_Don't ever let him go._

He moaned her name.

"_Emma…_"

She came hard, waves of pleasure washing over her as she tightened around him, gasping his name.

Then he was with her, his body shuddering, exploding, hot fluid filling her; her name on his lips as he held her snug against his body.

Shared aftershocks rippled through their bodies as their orgasms ended, falling onto one another for support—her head on his shoulder and arms hugging his back, his hand in her hair—his embedded hook the only reason they didn't collapse to the floor.

The euphoria gradually faded and reality returned.

_Time to leave._

And he _knew_, had to, because he suddenly broke the silence. "I apologize, love. That was not my finest moment."

_What the hell?_

She moved her head, meeting his eyes, an incredulous expression on her face. "You're _apologizing _for that?"

He tossed her a wicked grin, grabbing her bottom and pulling it tight against him, unable to hide the small shudder that escaped.

_Oh god, he was growing hard inside her._

"Aye. I gravely underestimated how savoring every part of your body would affect me." He moved inside her. "I assure you, the second time will last _much _longer."

She gasped as he rocked his hips. "Second time? That's not our deal."

He leaned closer, his lips by her ear, his voice a mere whisper. "You gave me the night to make you forget, love." He pressed a gentle kiss on the side of her neck and she shivered. "The night isn't over yet."

_He can destroy me._

_He will heal you. If you let him._

She couldn't think, didn't want to. Instead she pushed him away, wincing at the distraught look that flashed through his eyes, watching it change to surprise when she licked her lips. "Fine, but this time _I_ get to do the tasting."

She almost missed it, the relief her words brought him. She shook it off, certain she'd imagined it.

He pulled his hook free from the ladder and winked at her. "I await my surrender, love."

* * *

_Many MANY thanks to __**Arandil**__ and __**Kay20**__ for being wonderful betas and giving me the courage to pop my fanfic smut writing cherry. Writing smut might be a "one time thing" or the statement might be as true as Emma's declarations, which is to say "false". My guess is it is up to a certain pirate..._

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_**Thank you SO MUCH to those who took the time to comment on my first fanfic. In response to your comments:**_

_**J3VF: **_No need to hunt me down. Did it play out "as you wished"?

**Matsu** **Meiana**: Did you feel it too?

**LifeFiction**: Was this worth the wait?

**BubbaGumpShrimp**: Continued. Did it hold to up the previous "Hawwtness"?

**Beth**: I would never "leave" it there, but with the holidays and other stories in my head, it took a while to get this _just_ right.

**Soapdiva288208**: Now you know what happens next.

**Angelfan984**: Sorry, a pirate really wanted to drag it out. Could you handle it?

**AMiserableLove**: Sorry, it took a while to continue. I hope you enjoy it.

**Lisa1972**: Oh yes, she's going to want _more_…

**Angie38**: It is funny what Emma will ask for when she admits she needs something. Thank you for all of your comments.

**Melissaufl**: Do you think the pirate helped heal her? Or will she be more broken now?

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**_There might be one more part with a brief epilogue, or I might make this the end._**

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_**Review? Pretty please?**_


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